Recalling the Archbishop’s strained expression while giving the blessing, Viare worried he might have noticed her power, but she quickly shook her head.
The ‘Eye of Truth’ was known only to her mother, the Duchess, and Viare herself.
Even tracing back the lineage of those who possessed the power, including her maternal grandmother, everyone had long since passed away.
Noticing the attention of other believers, Viare merely smiled slightly in response to their questions, offering no answer.
Feeling increasingly fatigued due to the time spent, she longed to return and rest.
Having prepared since early dawn for her visit to the Grand Temple, she felt overwhelmed with sleepiness.
She had deliberately chosen a less busy time to visit, but contrary to her expectations, there were many people attending the morning mass.
Regretting not having slept in and visited in the late afternoon, Viare hurried her steps.
It would take about two hours to reach the mansion, and as she walked through the long corridors and reached a less crowded path, she heard a deep, resonant voice.
“Why is the Lady here?”
Startled, Viare looked up towards the source of the sound, wondering if perhaps she shouldn’t have ventured out today.
With everything seemingly going awry, she sighed and respectfully addressed the man standing before her.
“Holy glory to the Marta Empire.”
The light-blond-haired, red-eyed man looked amused, as if he had found an interesting toy, his slick lips curling up.
“What need for formality between us?”
Despite his playful tone, Viare felt discomfort under his scrutinizing gaze.
‘Ivan Rio Cartos’
He was the sole Crown Prince of the Marta Empire, designated as the next Emperor, whom no one dared defy.
Viare had first met Ivan when she was ten, excitedly holding her father’s hand during a visit to the palace.
Ivan, two years her senior, appeared unusually mature for his age, quick-witted and adept in any situation. But Viare did not take a liking to him, especially since he seemed to enjoy teasing her whenever they met.
His arrogance and manipulation behind the scenes, even deceiving adults, made her dislike him even more.
When there were talks of marriage between them, Viare went as far as to stage a hunger strike, crying and refusing to eat until her father called off the arrangement.
Since then, Viare avoided events he attended, and fortunately, he was on the southern front during her debutante ball.
Having secured a strong political standing and the support of his base with his victory, Ivan’s political demeanor was impeccable.
He was known for his relief work and increasing public favor, making him an ideal candidate for the next Emperor.
His handsome appearance and tall stature attracted many admirers, something Viare was aware of.
‘If only that was all there was to it.’
His reputation for having a new woman leave his bedroom every morning was no exaggeration. His crude behavior, even in broad daylight, only added to his notoriety.
It was a wonder he had no illegitimate children to date, but the Crown Prince was not someone to create a situation detrimental to himself.
If a woman appeared claiming to have his child, Ivan would not hesitate to eliminate her on the spot. Before the regression, an incident had occurred where the empire was upended by a lady claiming to have the Crown Prince’s illegitimate child, and Ivan had secretly killed them both.
Viare had no desire to encounter him and thus had not ventured near the royal palace, making this meeting the first since then. She pushed aside her fleeting thoughts and bowed slightly, replying politely.
“I was about to deliver a donation.”
“Aha, so that’s why the Duke was not present.”
Upon realizing he had been looking for her father, Viare raised her eyebrows slightly and observed Ivan. Even though the Duke of Ruschev was a loyal serpent to the Emperor, he hadn’t sworn allegiance to the Crown Prince.
Viare’s unexpected frown caught Ivan’s persistent gaze.
“Is there a need to be so surprised? You already know, don’t you?”
“I’m not sure what you mean,” she responded.
“Hmm, it seems the Duke hasn’t informed you yet.”
Ivan chuckled at her displeased expression and started the conversation.
“The lady will be an adult next year, right?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Then let’s do it then.”
Frustrated by the man’s uncommunicative nature, Viare sighed inwardly.
She tried to grasp Ivan’s intentions, but understanding his rhetoric seemed futile and vain.
Seemingly amused by the situation, Ivan smiled broadly and slowly approached her. Surprised by his unexpected behavior, Viare instinctively stepped back.
Checking his surroundings as if ensuring secrecy, Ivan whispered just audibly to Viare.
“It’s about our engagement.”
Viare wasn’t here to waste time on such absurdity. She sighed lightly and glared coldly at Ivan.
“Please stop with the baseless jokes.”
“Why? Planning another hunger strike like before?”
Her childhood actions hadn’t remained hidden within the duke’s manor; the royal court knew too.
If Ivan felt his pride was hurt, Viare was willing to apologize repeatedly.
“I sincerely apologize for that incident.”
“Do you really think I’ve been resentful about that to this day?”
Viare just looked at him indifferently, prompting a low chuckle from Ivan.
“Huh, how badly do you think of me?”
In Viare’s mind, he was already trash, but she had no intention of revealing that.
When she simply stared at Ivan without reacting, he awkwardly added, “I can’t marry a prince, can I?”
Among the four major ducal families of the Marta Empire, only the Ruschev Duke had a daughter. Ivan likely aimed to solidify his power by marrying into her family.
He seemed contemplative, then added with a grimace.
“I despise illegitimate children. I don’t want an adopted daughter either.”
Considering his behavior with other women, Viare almost laughed at the irony.
“Have you already concluded your discussion with my father?”
“Who do you think was most pleased when I mentioned this?”
“Have you already finished discussing this with my father?”
“When I mentioned this matter, who do you think was most pleased?”
Ivan seemed triumphant, as if he had concluded all discussions with the Duke. The Duke’s eagerness to pair her off with Ivan felt like a massive betrayal to Viare. She had always despised the greed of nobles who, knowing what kind of person the Crown Prince was, still tried to attach their daughters to him.
Viare felt a surge of anger while looking at Ivan, who displayed arrogance without understanding her thoughts.
“My opinion wasn’t considered, was it?”
His relaxed smile towards her made it seem as if her wishes were of no importance.
“Oh dear, you’re still too young to understand.”
“Yes, and therefore I lack the charm to entertain Your Highness day and night.”
“…….”
“Though I doubt I’ll ever understand it.”
Viare’s lips held a bitter smile while responding to Ivan. Surely, the perceptive Crown Prince would not fail to grasp her words.
Ivan, gradually losing his smile and adopting a serious expression, suddenly grabbed her waist and pulled her close.
“It would be better for you to stop playing hard to get, Lady.”
Viare struggled to free herself from Ivan’s grip, but the more she tried, the tighter his hold became. The playful side of Ivan had long vanished, only his threatening red eyes focusing on her blue-green ones.
“It would be better if you let me go now.”
As Viare glared at him with eyes turning red from exertion, Ivan let go of her with an irrepressible chuckle.
“It’s best to seize the opportunity when it comes.”
Whistling, he casually passed her and headed towards his original destination.
Viare, still trying to comprehend what had just happened, could only watch as he walked away. Once he was out of sight, the tension dissipated, and she collapsed, trembling. Realizing her powerlessness in the face of Ivan’s dominance, she felt enraged at her own weakness.
“Damn… This is awful.”
Recounting the humiliation she just endured, Viare resolved not to let things go his way anymore.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
